Wike, Others Woo Investors As AICL Holds First Abuja Investment Summit

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has called on local and foreign investors to take advantage of the 2024 Abuja Business and Investment Summit to enhance economic growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development.

Wike made this call in an address at the opening of the maiden Abuja Investment Summit in the nation’s capital, Wednesday.

Speaking on the theme: “Optimising Investments Through Partnership”, the Minister stressed the need for investors to explore the many investment opportunities in the FCT; urgng them to look into real estate development, technology incubation, and/or agro- business waiting to be tapped.

While emphasizing that the theme of the Summit was in line with the vision of the FCT as a thriving hub for business and innovation, the Minister said that it was essential to recognize that the power of collaboration could greatly improve government investment strategies.

His words:”By forging strong partnerships, we not only pool resources but also leverage diverse expertise and insights that drive innovation and efficiency. Our unique position, strategic location, and growing population create a fertile ground for investment across various sectors including real estate, technology. agriculture, healthcare, tourism, construction mining and renewable energy.”

“We recognize that infrastructure is the backbone of any successful investment. That is why we have prioritized the development of roads, transportation networks, and utilities to ensure seamless connectivity within the Territory. From bustling urban areas to our beautiful rural communities, we are committed to improving infrastructure to enhance accessibility and attract investments,” he added.

The Minister revealed that he would will flag off the construction of nine major projects next week that would enhance investment opportunities all over the Territory.

He continued: “Besides infrastructure and security, we are also focused on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. We have launched several initiatives to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are the backbone of our economy.”

“I want to emphasize that the FCT is open for business. We have streamlined our processes to make it easier for investors to set up and operate. The Abuja Investment Company Limited and the Abuja Enterprise Agency have facilitated partnerships and supported investors, ensuring you receive the necessary guidance at every step of your investment journey”, he pledged.

Similarly, Anambra Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, who also spoke at the occasion, described the Summit as a unique initiative; saying it signalled transition of Abuja from political city to an investment and business hub, “which says quite a whole lot about the pathway to the future for Nigeria.

“I’m not a fan of investment promotion activities, because the investors are not just interested in what you say, they are interested more in what you do, the ease of doing business. Sometimes, the investors have more information about the place than even what you are providing them and they often think about what we say to them at the fancy places in London and so on as nothing but propaganda,” Soludo remarked.

“But here, I want to believe, and from what I have seen so far, that the Abuja Investment Summit will be pioneering a new approach to where you bring in the investors and the businesses. Maybe the pre-feasibility studies on some of them on display, so that actual investors will interrogate them and then be able to say, I’m interested in this, I’m interested in that, and so on,” the Governor emphasized.

Group Managing Director, Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL), Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, speaking earlier, expressed confidence that the crop of carefully selected and notable panelists would provide insightful and thought-provoking ideas that would break new grounds for economic prosperity for the company and participating investors.

She disclosed that discussions at the event would inspire bigger thinking, which would push the boundaries of possibilities in business and investment.

Tamuno assured of the company’s commitment to building the Summit for a prosperous and innovative future.

Other stakeholders, who attended the event include members of the National Assembly, members of the Diplomatic Corps, as well as other major players in the built industry as well as development partners.